


Just Let Me Help

by LiGi



Series: Merthurweek 2020 [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Knows About Merlin's Magic (Merlin), Blood, Canon Era, Caring Merlin (Merlin), Hurt Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Scared Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), magical healing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28260636
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiGi/pseuds/LiGi
Summary: Merthurweek2020 Day 3Arthur gets hurt out in the forest, will he let Merlin use magic to heal him?
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Series: Merthurweek 2020 [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067003
Comments: 6
Kudos: 99
Collections: Merthur Week 2020





	Just Let Me Help

**Author's Note:**

> Merthurweek2020 - Day 3 - "You're hurt. Please, just let me heal it." + Hurt/Comfort
> 
> I am so rubbish at titles.

Merlin scurried after Arthur, tripping over the loose twigs and bracken that coated the forest floor.

“Quiet,” Arthur hissed. His crossbow was raised and he’d spotted a pheasant through the trees. He stalked towards it.

But as he pulled the trigger the bowstring snapped and the bolt fired wonkily into the bracken, scaring the pheasant into a loud flapping retreat. Arthur let the crossbow drop from his shoulder and grabbed at the broken end of the string.

“Damn it!” He kicked the ground, sending up a shower of dry leaves and bits.

Without thinking Merlin reached forwards and waved his hand. Letting his eyes shine gold and the magic flow from his fingers into the crossbow.

“ _Gebéteð_.”

The broken string reattached itself to the bow.

“Merlin!”

Merlin yanked his hand back at the same time Arthur snatched the crossbow away. They stared slightly wild eyed at each other.

“Sorry! I didn’t think.”

“You never think!” Arthur was angry. And Merlin should have seen that coming. It was only a couple of weeks since he’d told Arthur of his magic.

It had felt like a weight had lifted from his shoulders, he finally felt free. And as such he had let himself get complacent. He cursed himself for not thinking. He shouldn’t have fixed the crossbow so casually. He could have at least warned Arthur he was going to do it.

Arthur had accepted and forgiven him, but he was still not happy about it. He didn’t like Merlin to do magic when he was around. He said it made him feel uncomfortable. But Merlin was pretty sure the real reason was that he was still terrified of it. And Arthur did not like to show fear.

The hand on his crossbow had gone white from the tight grip he had on it and his other hand was balled into a fist. But that was doing nothing to stop how badly it was shaking.

“I’m sorry, Arthur,” Merlin began as Arthur turned away and began stomping off through the trees.

Not sure that Arthur would want to be followed, Merlin stayed rooted to the spot, his face twisted in a guilty frown as his fingers nervously picked at a loose thread in the sleeve of his shirt.

A second later there was a loud metallic snap and Arthur shouted out in pain. Merlin stopped trying to shred his sleeve and sprinted to Arthur’s side.

Arthur had dropped his crossbow and was clutching his leg with both hands, bent over double and breathing heavily through gritted teeth. He’d stepped on a foothold trap. Its jaws closed tightly around his ankle, the teeth digging deep into the leather of Arthur’s boot.

“Oh shit,” Merlin muttered.

“You don’t say?”

He dropped to his knees beside Arthur, assessing the trap and the damage to Arthur’s leg.

“Ok, I’ll open it, you pull your leg out.” He looked up at Arthur. His eyes were streaming and his face was screwed up in pain. He managed a quick nod. “Ready?”

Merlin leant against the springs of the trap and prised the jaws open. Arthur cried out again as the teeth pulled free of his ankle. He collapsed backwards to the floor, dragging his leg away from the trap. Letting go of the trap and leaping backwards as it sprang shut again, Merlin moved up beside Arthur and helped him crawl back until he could lean against a tree trunk.

Arthur’s head thunked against the tree as he threw it back, letting out a string of curses.

“Let me see,” Merlin said, kneeling beside him.

He put one hand on Arthur’s thigh to steady him. He could feel the muscle trembling beneath his hand. He gave it a squeeze then looked down at his ankle. Blood was already spilling out of the holes in his boot. Merlin winced sympathetically.

“I need to take your boot off,” he said apologetically.

“Do it.”

Merlin moved down to Arthur’s foot, carefully sliding one hand under his heel. He gave it a gentle pull. Arthur groaned, sweat breaking out across his forehead.

“Oh fuck me, that hurts….”

“Maybe later,” Merlin said with a wry grin and Arthur managed a huff of laughter before gritting his teeth against a scream again.

“I’m gonna –” He screwed his eyes shut, gasping as the boot slid off his foot. “– remember you said that…”

Merlin couldn’t stop the way his stomach flipped at Arthur’s words. It had been a couple of weeks since Arthur had last let Merlin in his bed. Ever since Merlin had revealed his magic Arthur had kept him at arm’s length.

He tossed Arthur’s boot to the side and tugged the blood-stained sock off as well. There were six puncture wounds around Arthur’s ankle from the teeth of the trap, deep and oozing blood. A dark bruise was already forming around them and Merlin didn’t like the angle of his foot either, he must have twisted it.

At least he didn’t have to wait for Arthur to pass out before he could cast a healing spell any more. Merlin laid his hand over Arthur’s ankle, already bringing the magic up to his fingers.

Arthur pushed his hand away.

“Merlin, we talked about this. I don’t want to see…”

Merlin huffed. “You’re hurt.” He looked up at Arthur, a frown pulling at his eyebrows. “Please, just let me heal it.”

“It’s fine. It’s nothing.” Arthur bent his knee to slide his foot out from under Merlin’s hand, picking up his sock as if to try and put it back on again. “We’ll get back to Camelot and Gaius can –”

“You can’t walk all the way back on that.”

He snatched the sock. Arthur immediately snatched it back again.

“You can help me.”

“Yes.” Merlin put his hands on his hips, damn near glaring at the stubborn prince. “I _can_ help you. Let me!”

“No.”

“Please.”

He shuffled closer, his hand hovering just above Arthur’s arm. Arthur was still shaking, his leg tucked up close to his chest, pain written visibly across his sweaty face. His eyes warily followed Merlin’s hand.

“Merlin.”

Arthur’s voice was strong and commanding, a finality to it that could shut up any courtier or servant. Except Merlin of course.

“Look, I know it makes you uncomfortable.” He pulled his hand back, finding the loose thread on his shirtsleeve again. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. But seeing you in pain…” He shook his head. “Arthur, I can’t. Not when I can fix it.”

Arthur bit his lip, looking like a war was going on inside his head. Then he reached forwards, snatched Merlin’s hand and yanked it – which ripped Merlin’s sleeve when he didn’t let go of the thread quick enough.

Merlin opened his mouth to complain but Arthur positioned Merlin’s hand over his ankle and looked up to meet his gaze. Merlin could plainly see the unmistakable fear in Arthur’s eyes, and his hand was clammy and shaking. But he nodded.

“Arthur…” Merlin felt his gut twist guiltily. “If you don’t want me to, I won’t.”

“You can.” His voice shook slightly as well.

“Are you _sure_?”

“I trust you.”

Merlin bowed his head, unable to look at Arthur at that moment. Tears pricked his eyes and he fiercely blinked them away.

“I trust you,” Arthur whispered again.

Taking a deep breath, Merlin positioned his hand over the wounds, blood trickling onto his palm. He braced his other hand on Arthur’s thigh, he could feel how tense Arthur was under his hands, fighting against his natural instinct to flinch away.

“ _Ge_ _hailige_.”

Magic surged in his hand. Arthur trembled. Merlin lifted his hand away; it was covered in blood and the gouges in Arthur’s ankle were still there. Merlin sighed. Arthur let out the breath he had been holding in a long whoosh.

“What was _that_?” Arthur demanded, staring at Merlin.

“Ok, so I’m not very good at healing spells,” Merlin said grumpily.

“Clearly.”

“Let me have another go.”

Arthur shifted uncomfortably. He looked away.

“No, Merlin. If you can’t do it –”

“I can! Just let me try again.”

Arthur squeezed his eyes shut.

“ _Þurhhæle_ _dolgbenn_.”

This time Merlin felt the magic swirl from his fingers and into Arthur’s leg. He knew he’d done it before he even took his hand away. Arthur hissed a sharp gasp in through his teeth.

Getting up quickly, Merlin wiped his palms on his breeches, smearing blood and sweat. He hurried away from Arthur.

They were frozen in silence. Neither wanting to be the one to break it, both caught in their thoughts. Something had shifted for Arthur, and Merlin could feel how monumental it could be. He tried to keep a handle on his panic, turning his back and fussing with a button on his jacket just to have something to do with his hands. He could hear Arthur moving behind him, his breathing ragged as dry leaves rustled beneath him.

“Sorry,” he said eventually.

Arthur stopped shifting around.

“Merlin,” he called. Merlin didn’t turn. “Merlin, don’t be sorry for who you are.”

“I don’t want you to fear me…”

“I’m _not_ scared of you, Merlin. I could never be scared of you.” Arthur sighed. “Come here. Please.”

Merlin turned back to Arthur, blinking to try and rid his eyes of tears. Arthur beckoned him over with an outstretched hand. Hesitatingly he took it and let Arthur pull him down to his knees. They met each others’ gazes as Arthur lifted a hand to cup Merlin’s cheek.

“I would never hurt –” Merlin began. Arthur cut him off, his stare intense.

“I know.”

“Sorr–”

“No!” He moved the hand on Merlin’s cheek over to cover his mouth. “Don’t say it. You shouldn’t be sorry. _I_ am sorry. Sorry that I can’t be comfortable with this.” He looked down, bit his lip. “ _Yet_.” Merlin’s heart swelled as Arthur raised his eyes again, this time full of determination drowning out the fear. “I will be. I promise.”

Merlin kissed the palm over his lips. “It’s alright, Arthur. I understand.”

“I promise,” Arthur said firmly and pulled Merlin into a tight hug. “Thank you.”


End file.
